Chhattisgarh has been once again been conferred with the prestigious national level ‘Social Innovation Award 2014’ for its ‘Meri Marzi’ Scheme-Core PDS’ for public distribution system (PDS).
The apex national body for IT & ITeS companies Nasscom, Mumbai, conferred the ‘Social Innovation Award 2014’ on Chhattisgarh for the project. Director of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection department Umesh Kumar Agrawal handed over the award to Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Punnulal Mohle at his chamber in the Chhattisagrh Assembly on Friday. On the occasion, Mohle congratulated all the department officials for the success of PDS scheme.
He said that PDS scheme of Chhattisgarh had been given the title of ‘Best PDS Scheme.’ This great achievement could not have been possible without the valuable contribution of the department officials in execution of the scheme, he said.
The Minister further stated that under this scheme, the beneficiary could choose any fair price shop as per his convenience to avail the ration supply. Chhattisgarh is the first State in the country to offer such a facility. On the occasion, Managing director of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (MARKFED) SK Jaiswal, Managing director of State Civil Supplies Corporation Kaushalendra Singh and other senior officials of the department were present.
It is noteworthy that the ‘Meri Marzi Scheme’ of Chhattisgarh was awarded ‘Scotch Digital Inclusion Award’ and ‘CSI Nihilent e-Governance Award’ in the year 2012. Department officials informed that ‘Core-PDS Meri Marzi Yojana’ is being operated in all 148 fair price shops of Raipur city since July 2012. They informed that the scheme is being successfully implemented in 69 shops of Durg city since November 2012, in 49 shops of Rajnandgaon city since December 2012, in 17 shops of Mahasamund city and in 43 shops of Mahasamund block since January 2013.
Soon the scheme will be implemented in Municipal Corporations of Bhilai, Jagdalpur, Dhamtari, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Korba, Ambikapur, Chirmiri as well, informed the department officials. Under this project, details pertaining to the ration supply received by every beneficiary are made available online, so as to ensure more transparency in the working of fair price shops.